Flush or fluid change

[HJG]

I have a 2021 Gladiator, and I have heard PROs and CONs about doing a flush on the automatic transmission instead of just a fluid change. I was wondering if anyone has done a flush on theirs and how it went. Since getting so many responses, I should add this: 42000 miles, first time if I decide to flush. The one thing I have heard is the 850 RE transmission, like high pressure that a flush might give.

Sponsored

 

[Stan H]

I have a 2021 Gladiator, and I have heard PROs and CONs about doing a flush on the automatic transmission instead of just a fluid change. I was wondering if anyone has done a flush on theirs and how it went.

Do Not Do NOT ,do a flush it will dislodge contamination caught in the trans cooler and possible other places and RUIN the transmission. Simply do a pan drop and Filter change and refill and then top off. Follow the procedure found on here from @g2020

 

[Stan H]

I had a Transmission replaced , and I had the dealer do it and they wouldn't do it without me first buying a brand new transmission cooler due to past situations where a new transmission was paired with a used cooler and contaminated particles let loose and ruined a new transmission.

 

[Mr._Bill]

I have a 2021 Gladiator, and I have heard PROs and CONs about doing a flush on the automatic transmission instead of just a fluid change. I was wondering if anyone has done a flush on theirs and how it went.

There is a long thread from a couple years ago started by a member who did a flush that killed the transmission.

The official line from Jeep is that it is a lifetime fill and does not need changed, under normal operating conditions.

I would not consider it until about 75k miles, unless it has been stressed (lot of towing, submerged, or heat above 200°).

 

[Blade1668]

I know of one who did have a launch addition JT he had a transmission flushed, then transmission failures. Then traded it off. If you flush plan on replacing all the lines, radiator and transmission. Or just do transmission fluid change.

 

[Chaos Theory]

I've done a significant amount of research on this question recently, for another vehicle (NOT the Jeep).

Ultimately there's a lot of "that one time" things that make people think it's bad in all circumstances. Kind of like "don't wear a seatbelt, because if your vehicle rolls over in a lake..." despite the other 99% of crashes where that doesn't happen, making seatbelts incredibly effective.

The bottom line is that there is no such thing as "lifetime fluid". Unless Jeep does, the vehicle I researched determined that the manufacturer doesn't officially define what "lifetime" means. The lifetime of what? Warranty? The human species? I believe lifetime fluid is a gimmick, promoted by companies that want to sell you new transmissions after your warranty expires. There is no miracle sauce that lasts 10+ years. Transmission fluid looks (and works) like shit after 30-50k miles.

If you flush your transmission on regular intervals from the start, you should have no issues and it will ultimately benefit your transmission. The problems come in when you decide, after 150k miles, that "now is the time!" to do the first flush, the existing fluid smells burnt, etc. In these scenarios, the transmission is already failing, flushing it will expose that issue, you'll get gear slippage and failure follows shortly thereafter.

Maybe Jeep is different, but I am pro-flushing when done at intervals from the very beginning. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Is a flush anything more than a fluid exchange? Anything being done outside of what normally happens with the trans pump moving fluid?

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I have a 2021 Gladiator, and I have heard PROs and CONs about doing a flush on the automatic transmission instead of just a fluid change. I was wondering if anyone has done a flush on theirs and how it went.

Is this your first service on it? How many miles on it and/or since last service?

If this is the first time service and you’ve got a gazzilian miles on it, forget it. I did one flush on my 21 at 24k kms but it had a glycol contamination problem and I thought I could save it by having a flush done. I was wrong and 8k kms later, it imploded. I had warranty but thought I could save it with a flush. No one here stepped up to warn me what happens chemically when glycol contaminates the ATF and eats the friction disks. Had someone educated me about the disaster of the friction plate glues and glycol, I think I would have listened. I know now.

Chrysler ignored there was a warrantable problem because my truck was still mobile and I was told to run it into the ground by the service manager. I refused to be so willfully negligent and flushed it being proactive and responsible…. But I was mistaken and cost was on me to replace it.

 

[629]

I guess it’s antidotal but I have a very good friend who runs several commercial auto repair places and has been in the business for 30 plus years. He told me NEVER let anyone flush your transmission.

 

[Stan H]

I also believe a Tech told me that forcing air pressure into one of these to do a flush also can dislodge certain seals .
I wonder where the OP went to
@HLG flushing is for Turds , Not for transmissions. DO NOT do it.
Maybe the OP is flushing his transmission right as we speak

 

[Maximus Gladius]

OP, let this video educate you on your question. I’ve written time stamp locations for quick access to what you’re wanting to know. The covered vail will also be yanked off the myth of “lifetime” oil, you’ll quickly recognize who in this forum are FCA insiders that have “signed on to go along” with willful negligence. We don’t drive old engineered “back in the day” transmissions, we now drive computers with software. There’s a difference.


2:43, 9:40, 23:23, 49:25, 51:44

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Is this your first service on it? How many miles on it and/or since last service?

If this is the first time service and you’ve got a gazzilian miles on it, forget it. I did one flush on my 21 at 24k kms but it had a glycol contamination problem and I thought I could save it by having a flush done. I was wrong and 8k kms later, it imploded. I had warranty but thought I could save it with a flush. No one here stepped up to warn me what happens chemically when glycol contaminates the ATF and eats the friction disks. Had someone educated me about the disaster of the friction plate glues and glycol, I think I would have listened. I know now.

Chrysler ignored there was a warrantable problem because my truck was still mobile and I was told to run it into the ground by the service manager. I refused to be so willfully negligent and flushed it being proactive and responsible…. But I was mistaken and cost was on me to replace it.

How did they flush your fluid?

 

[Maximus Gladius]

How did they flush your fluid?

They called it a “hot flush” and it required 17 litres. I didn’t get a look at the machine they used.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

They called it a “hot flush” and it required 17 litres. I didn’t get a look at the machine they used.

A lot of confusion comes from transmission places calling it a "flush" when it's really a fluid exchange.

They hookup a machine that interrupts the transmission cooler line to empty old fluid and bring in new fluid. The machine does not push or flush fluid through the transmission. It simply collects old fluid and provides new fluid.

 

[HJG]

I have a 2021 Gladiator, and I have heard PROs and CONs about doing a flush on the automatic transmission instead of just a fluid change. I was wondering if anyone has done a flush on theirs and how it went. Since getting so many responses, I should add this: 42000 miles, first time if I decide to flush. The one thing I have heard is the 850 RE transmission, like high pressure that a flush might give.

Sponsored